Category Archives: Book Review

May17

Clarice Bean Spells Trouble by Lauren Child

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IMG_0002Clarice Bean Spells Trouble by Lauren Child, paperback novel, 189 pages, published by Orchard Books in 2005.

Clarice Bean Tuesday and her friends Betty Moody and Karl Wrenbury are all in the same class at school. Their teacher, Mrs Wilberton, always thinks that Clarice Bean and Karl are getting up to trouble even when they are trying to be good. With the school spelling bee and the school play coming up, Clarice Bean finds life becoming complicated. She is trying to learn the dictionary for the spelling bee, but it’s not really helping her poor spelling much at all, and then Karl says she’s not his friend anymore, and her plans for the play don’t exactly work out. Clarice Bean is discovering that life often has more questions than answers.

Clarice Bean and Betty are big fans of the books and TV series about a girl-spy called Ruby Redfort, so there are many references to her throughout the story. Now Hollywood is making a Ruby Redfort movie, this is often all that Betty and Clarice Bean can talk about. Ruby Redfort is quite an important aspect of Clarice Bean’s life.

I had a little trouble warming to this story at first. It just didn’t grab me within the first couple of chapters, but I persisted, and overall I think it was worth it. I liked Clarice Bean, she was definitely unique and interesting as a character, but I thought that the other characters were a little typical of this type of children’s novel. There is the best friend, the dis-likeable teacher, and the uppity goody-two shoes teacher’s pet. Having said that, the characters and their interactions are still well written and move the story along nicely. Maybe I’ve just read a few too many books with a similar setting lately. I think what really threw me about this story was the obsession with Ruby Redfort. Ruby was on Clarice Bean’s mind all the time, and she often related Ruby’s adventures to her own life, or used phrases and advice from the show. It was a very important part of describing Clarice Bean, but it just felt like much too much for me. However, the character of Clarice Bean was still interesting and different enough to keep me reading, and I will probably try other books in this series.

Apr28

The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy

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IMG_9756The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy, paperback novel, 107 pages, first published by Allison and Busby in 1974, this edition was published by Puffin Books in 1978.

Mildred Hubble is in her first year at Miss Cackle’s Academy, a school for young witches. Disaster and trouble seem to travel in her wake as she navigates broomstick riding, basic spellcraft and potions, along with her best friend, Maud. While the school is headed by a jovial Miss Cackle, the girls are under the ever watchful eye of the severe Miss Hardbroom, their form teacher. Unfortunately for Mildred, she has found herself on the bad side of Ethel, another student. Not only is Ethel a better witch than Mildred, she is also the teacher’s pet, and she has a mean streak.

Witches are often portrayed as old, ugly and mean, but The Worst Witch shows a different side to witches. In this fantasy story, children are learning to become witches, and while some of them are mean, most of them are fairly normal kids just trying to get along in their schooling. Children can relate to Mildred’s dilemmas, even if they are of a more magical nature than their own. It is a fairly short and easy novel with some black and white illustrations scattered throughout. It is good for younger readers who are moving on from chapter books, suiting lower to middle primary school children. I read this book as a child, and it was nice to be able to share it with my own children. I found that I still enjoyed the story as an adult, and my second grader has already read it through a number of times. She is looking forward to finding the other books in this series.

Apr16

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

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IMG_9101Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, paperback novel, 280 pages, first published by Viking in 2001, this edition published by Puffin Books in 2002.

Artemis Fowl is not an average twelve year old boy. He is a criminal mastermind isolated on an enormous estate in Ireland, where he is constantly accompanied by his bodyguard, Butler, but is not restricted by any parental or guardian influence. His family’s vast fortune, accrued over many generations of criminal Fowls, has been lost, and Artemis is determined to restore it. A spot of supernatural kidnapping for ransom should do it, all he has to do is find a fairy to kidnap. Though he is a genius with an elaborate and thorough plan, when he captures Captain Holly Short of the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance Unit (LEPcon), he gets more than he bargains for.

I’d been thinking about reading Artemis Fowl for a while (I wanted to see whether it lived up to the hype), when I came across a copy in excellent condition in a secondhand bookstore. It was also on sale, so I think it was a sign that it was time to read it! I was not disappointed. From the first chapter I was hooked. It is a fast paced adventure full of fantastical creatures, villains and plenty of action. There are fairy police, an egotistical centaur, a humongous troll, goblins and a tunneling and devious dwarf, all of which come to life in the pages of Artemis Fowl. And Artemis himself is a very interesting character. There are many stories of young heroes saving the day, but not too many telling the exploits of a young criminal using his excessive intelligence to create havoc and amass a fortune. I liked this different perspective, even though he is undoubtedly the baddie, Artemis didn’t seem like the enemy. I found myself hoping there would be some way for both Artemis and the fairies to come out on top.

The plot of Artemis Fowl contained suspense and surprises, and it wasn’t predictable as some novels for younger readers are. The characters developed throughout the story too, providing a richness to the tale, and leaving me wanting to find out more about the Lower Elements, the People and Artemis. There were also little things left unknown, which could be revealed later in the series.

The complexity of the storyline and some elements of violence probably lends itself more towards upper primary to lower high school students, though with guidance younger children may also enjoy this book. I thoroughly enjoyed Artemis Fowl, and I had trouble putting it down to sleep at night. When I can, I will find more of the books from the Artemis Fowl series to read. I am very interested to find out what trouble Artemis is plotting next.

Apr9

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

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IMG_8888Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel  Scheffler, paperback picture book, first published by Macmillan Children’s Books in 2001, this edition published by Macmillan Children’s Books in 2002.

The Witch and her Cat are going for a broom flight in the starry night, but things keep blowing away. Each time they descend to the ground to recover the lost item, there is another animal wanting a ride on their broom. Can the broom hold all of these animals, or will they come to a sticky end?

Room on the Broom is another delightful rhyming book from the creators of The Gruffalo. This is a fun book to read aloud with children of all ages, but is especially good for pre-schoolers and lower primary school children. The illustrations are nice, and the story is funny, and I enjoy sharing this one with my kids. There is a dragon in this story, which my kids thought was a little scary the first time we read the book, but that hasn’t stopped them requesting many re-reads! This is one of our favourite picture books.

 

Apr8

Two Little Pirates by Ruth Paul

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IMG_8894Two Little Pirates by Ruth Paul, paperback picture book, first published by Scholastic New Zealand Limited in 2010, this reformatted edition was published by Scholastic New Zealand Limited in 2013.

As the day draws near, two little pirates attack the King and Queen where they lay in their bed sleeping. They tickle the Queen’s feet, and the King falls down, but soon the tide turns and the little pirates are hung over the side of the ship. Captured, they have to pay for their pirate ways, but soon punishment is exchanged for snuggles and cuddles.

This is a lovely book, with gorgeous illustrations and rhyming text that makes the idea of being woken up by young children seem like a fun and engaging experience. The language is just right for the subject matter, with humour and pizzazz. Two Little Pirates is a great book for sharing and reading aloud with young children. Slightly older children, lower to middle primary school age, will also enjoy reading this themselves, and listening to it being read of course!

Apr8

Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby

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IMG_8867Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby, paperback novel, 321 pages, first published by Scholastic Press in 2011, this edition published by Scholastic Inc. in 2013.

Solveig is a princess growing up in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Asa, and that of her younger brother, the heir, Harald. To the King, she has always been the plain, unpromising and unimportant middle child, but when the three siblings are trapped behind an icy fjord for the winter, Solveig comes into her own. As their father fights a war, the princesses and prince are being protected in the King’s Hall with some loyal servants and a band of violent berserkers, that normally serve the King in battle. They cannot leave their ice safe-hold until the spring thaw arrives, but that is a long time away through a bitter winter. It soon becomes apparent that there is a traitor in their midst, but it’s hard for Solveig to imagine that one of these trusted few could betray them and their father. What appeared to be a protected haven, has now become a place of uncertainty, distrust and danger. They must wait for the thaw that will allow them to escape the trap that they have found themselves in, but maybe it won’t come soon enough.

I suppose Icefall could be described as a ‘coming of age’ story, as Solveig begins to define herself outside of her father’s narrow view of her during a period of stress. She matures and finds a strength she never knew she possessed, and in turn she finds herself. Also, Icefall is a mystery which was exciting and interesting.  The characters were well developed, and the storyline was compelling. The story is told from Solveig’s point of view, and the reader is able to grasp how she feels and thinks about the situation she finds herself in, and those she shares it with. I could also visualise the berserkers and the location in which the story is set. I really enjoyed this book, it was definitely a page turner for me. I think it would probably be best for upper primary and high school children, but mature younger children might also enjoy this adventure.

Apr3

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Mozzie by P. Crumble and Louis Shea

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IMG_8896There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Mozzie by P. Crumble and Louis Shea, paperback picture book, published by Scholastic Australia in 2010.

This is an hilarious Australian twist on the classic There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly. Only here, the Old Lady swallows a Mozzie (mosquito), followed by a range of Aussie animals, which get bigger and bigger.

The illustrations in There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Mozzie are fantastic. The Old Lady is comically dressed in purple slippers with matching purple hair, and a purple bow on her wide-brim hat. My favourite picture is of the Old Lady eating an echidna sandwich with tomato sauce, but every page contains a wonderfully humorous drawing. And the story is just as entertaining, as she eats her way through the Australian bush in an attempt to catch the mozzie she has swallowed.

I shared this book with my children, and they loved it. It’s best for lower primary school children and below, though all ages can have a laugh while reading this book. It is perfect for reading aloud and for sharing. Once we’d read the story we really enjoyed talking about the pictures, and how silly the Old Lady is for swallowing all those animals, especially since she took her teeth out at the start! A fun book we will read over and over.

Apr1

The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky

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IMG_8646The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky and illustrated by Andrew Joyner, paperback picture book, first published by Penguin Group (Australia) in 2009, this edition published by Penguin Group (Australia) in 2012.

The rabbits are having a relaxing snack by the lake when they hear a loud noise. It frightens them and they run away from the lake as quickly as they can telling all the animals they meet on the way about the “Terrible Plop”. They come to a bear who doesn’t believe anything could be scarier than him, and he forces the smallest of all the rabbits to show him where this “Terrible Plop” is.

Just as some children are wary of trying new things, the littlest rabbit discovers that some things seem scary at first, but once they are explained, they are not really scary at all. This is something most people can relate to. The Terrible Plop is an entertaining story with rhyming text and lovely illustrations. It is an excellent read-aloud book, and I love sharing this one with my kids. Great for preschoolers and lower primary school children, this story is sure to become a favourite.

Mar31

The Bear’s Lunch by Pamela Allen

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IMG_8642The Bear’s Lunch by Pamela Allen, paperback picture book, published by Puffin Books in 1998.

When Oliver and Wendy go for a picnic lunch by the lake, they are unaware that a very hungry bear is roaming near by looking for a meal. The bear becomes increasingly hungry, so when it spies Wendy and Oliver, they look like a nice, easy lunch. However, Oliver and Wendy have other ideas.

Pamela Allen books are very popular in our house, and The Bear’s Lunch has been read many, many times. My kids love to do all the growls and roars throughout the book. The story is easy to follow along, and it is great to share with young children up to lower primary school age. This is a fun story with a happy ending that most children will enjoy.

Mar27

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

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IMG_8648The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, paperback picture book, published by Macmillan Children’s Books in 1999.

A little mouse strolls through the woods, several predators offer for him to join them for a meal. He frightens each of these animals away with his description of the fictitious monster, the Gruffalo, but then he actually meets one. The Gruffalo thinks he would like to eat the mouse as well, but the mouse has a clever idea to escape becoming lunch.

This is a beautifully written and illustrated picture book that is extremely well loved in our home. The kids can recite this story because we have read it so many times. I love it too, and I am always happy when one of the kids choose it for story time. The story is written in rhyming text, and the mouse’s description of the Gruffalo is delightful. It is amusing and original, and not at all scary. It is a wonderful book to share with children of all ages. The Gruffalo is a must have for every child’s book collection.